Which office is responsible for scorekeeping by estimating the budgetary effects of proposed legislation?

Which office is responsible for scorekeeping by estimating the budgetary effects of proposed legislation?

• A. Government Accountability Office
• B. Congressional Budget Office
• C. Office of Management and Budget
• D. Joint Committee on Taxation

Answer: (B)

Scorekeeping in Congress means estimating how a proposed bill will affect federal spending, revenues, deficits, and debt. The office that handles this task is the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency that produces formal cost estimates for proposed legislation. These scores show lawmakers the budgetary impact and help determine whether legislation fits within the budget resolution and budgetary rules. The other offices have different roles: the Government Accountability Office focuses on audits and evaluations of programs; the Office of Management and Budget guides the President’s budget and provides budgetary oversight to agencies; the Joint Committee on Taxation analyzes revenue effects of tax provisions, but it does not provide the comprehensive budget score for most legislation.

Scorekeeping in Congress means estimating how a proposed bill will affect federal spending, revenues, deficits, and debt. The office that handles this task is the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency that produces formal cost estimates for proposed legislation. These scores show lawmakers the budgetary impact and help determine whether legislation fits within the budget resolution and budgetary rules. The other offices have different roles: the Government Accountability Office focuses on audits and evaluations of programs; the Office of Management and Budget guides the President’s budget and provides budgetary oversight to agencies; the Joint Committee on Taxation analyzes revenue effects of tax provisions, but it does not provide the comprehensive budget score for most legislation.